Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) was recently named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care by the Women’s Choice Award.
To be considered for the award, a hospital must:
- Provide a minimum number of cardiac and vascular services.
- Rank highly for heart disease and heart attack mortality and readmission rates.
- Receive a Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) recommendation rating above the national average.
Only 419 hospitals, or nine percent, out of more than 4,800 nationwide that reported any of the heart care clinical measurements met all three criteria, and, within that nine percent, CMMC ranked in the top four percent.
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the number one killer of American women, causing one in three deaths each year—approximately one woman every minute. What’s often thought of as a “man’s disease” strikes more women than men, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. Additionally, women don’t always notice the signs of heart disease or underreport symptoms, something as simple as episodes of shortness of breath or nausea may indicate the need to seek medical attention.
“Many women we see in central and western Maine have atherosclerotic heart disease, a build-up of plaque in their arteries,” said Central Maine Heart and Vascular Institute Medical Director Dr. Andrew Eisenhauer. “There are many factors, but we see a prevalence of smoking and lifestyle choices, such as diets high in fat and sodium or chronic high stress, that increase someone’s risk for heart disease. Also, those of French Canadian heritage may inherit a disorder called Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), meaning their liver cannot metabolize excess LDL cholesterol, which leads to high cholesterol and premature and aggressive heart disease without treatment.”
Dr. Eisenhauer stresses the importance of ‘If you feel something, say something’, not only to a friend or family member, but to your primary care provider or a specialist to receive the diagnostic testing and treatment you may need.
The methodology used to select CMMC as one of America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care evaluates:
- The number of cardiac/vascular services offered. Recognized hospitals must offer at least six of the following services: Cardiac Catheter Lab, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Cardiac Surgery, Carotid Stenting, Coronary Interventions, Electrophysiology, Vascular Interventions, Vascular Surgery and Coronary Intensive Care (CCU).
- 30-Day mortality and readmission rates for heart attack and failure.
- Patient recommendation ratings on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) Survey.
- Primary research about women’s healthcare preferences.
“Receiving the Women’s Choice Award for the heart care at Central Maine Medical Center recognizes the dedication of our staff and providers who provide top-quality care to our cardiac patients,” said Dr. David Tupponce, President, CMMC.
For more information about the America’s Best Hospitals for Heart Care, please visit https://www.womenschoiceaward.com/awarded/healthcare/.